Imola to take legal action over Monza contract renewal

Imola is reportedly taking legal action over the new Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix three-year contract that has been secured with Monza.

Last week, it was announced and confirmed that a deal had been secured with the circuit for the annual Italian Grand Prix to continue there for the next three years, however this contract is yet to be signed.

However, it has been announced that Imola feels that it is illegitimate that Automobile Club d’Italia has given government backing to Monza, and not Imola, to continue hosting races beyond this season.

“The appeal court in Rome is going to judge if the steps the Automobile Club did until now, in telling the Autodromo of Monza that is the only title to receive the government money, is legal,” Director of the Monza organising committee, Ivan Capelli, spoke.

“Imola put an application saying it’s not legal.

“Last year the [Italian Prime Minister] Matteo Renzi was [at Monza] and then we had an amendment in the law saying that the Automobile Club of Italy could use the tax that we pay, to use that money to pay the Bernie [Ecclestone] fee through the Automobile Club of Italy.

“And Imola says, ‘no, if the Automobile Club is giving the money to Monza, it’s unfair, because we are the same level, we are an automobile club as well, and we want the same money that they’re giving to Monza’.”

It has also been announced that the court will be held on 26 October 2016 in order to valuate this case.

Ecclestone, Formula 1 CEO, reported that “the people in Imola are starting an action against these people using public money.”

He also added that he hopes the deal will be signed in the next couple of weeks in order to secure Monza, but “we have to wait“.